Despite this books flaws, I was driven to finish it at quite a pace not merely because of the events in the book and the characters who ran the gamut from sympathetic to grotesque, but also because the unique and shifting perspective of the narrator whose inner world is the largest part of the book and its mysteries.It could have been edited more, while still retaining the atmosphere created by the narrator's voice, memories and singular obsessions. At times repeated motifs became tiresome simply because in a book this length they were repeated too often. Still, I appreciated the unique focus - the orphanage, the backdrop of the politics of reproductive choice, a cast of characters from the mighty to the meek, and a great deal about power and its dangers. I am not going to finish this book, but I am listing it because it has taken up enough of my life to count and I got at least 60% through before I couldn't take it anymore. This is a mystery with political intrigue and more. Probably too much more... There is an old, old orphanage in Denmark that has been home to many children over the years. One group of children from 1961 who were adopted out to "qualified" families have been brought back together in an attempt to solve the mystery surrounding one of them. Maybe one of them might have had a happy adoptive situation. All the rest were in bad situations where they were made to feel unwanted or less than the ideal. The intrigue goes to the highest office in the land and people who may have the keys to the mystery are dying. It's not terrible writing, even if the set up was exceedingly long and deliberate. The characterization isn't terrible either, even if there is nothing very lovable about any of the characters. It's just Way. Too. Long. Also, perhaps I should find out if the author was adopted and is working out his issues or something. All the stuff about the miseries of being adopted was just over the top. I did see one review that called it a "page turner" though, so you never know.
What do You think about Het Zevende Kind (2011)?
supergod læsning mange tråde at holde styr på, men spændende læsning kan varmt anbefales.
—Mary
I struggles with this and had worked out basically what had happened about half way through
—calaniya
Den bedste bog jeg har læst længe. Fantastisk sprogperle og gennemgående suspense.
—C0MM0N
Interessant plot, men alt for langtrukken.
—briarlyn
